Review by Kirkus Book Review
Eleanora Finkel has only one goal for her senior year at Hillview High: save the LGBTQ+ Club. Unfortunately, the attempted murder of head cheerleader and supreme bully Kenley Stevens completely derails Eleanora's plans. When the four diverse members of the LGBTQ+ Club--Eleanora, Tyler Fuentes, Salim Ali, and Noah King--discover Kenley, lying bloody and unconscious in a hallway, their bigoted principal is all too happy to ban the tiny club and put the students on academic probation. With all eyes on Eleanora and her fellow queers as the main suspects, it's up to the club members to solve the mystery on their own--regardless of the danger. This dark and comedic mystery by debut author Montblanc deftly explores the gray areas between right and wrong, successfully addressing the complexity of people's characters. However, readers will wish for more detailed backstories for and a deeper focus on the four leads, and most of the adults display a staggering ineptitude that's frequently used as a convenient plot device. These elements may at times take readers out of the story, but the fast-paced plot and delicious mystery more than carry the narrative. A delicate queer romance that slowly blossoms throughout the story is the icing on the cake. A solid and overall engaging queer not-so-murder mystery with a touch of humor and a splash of romance.(Mystery. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
